Kathmandu— Security agencies in Nepal have been placed under intense pressure to both rescue survivors and recover bodies after a devastating flash flood on August 26 along the Bhotekoshi River. The Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force (APF) mobilized thousands of personnel for operations, but the scale of the disaster has exposed serious gaps in the country's disaster-response capacity.

Racing Against Time to Save Survivors

The first critical task for security agencies is searching for people still alive under collapsed structures or stranded in isolated settlements. An APF Collapse Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) team successfully rescued a six-year-old girl from debris in Rasuwa, demonstrating the capabilities of trained personnel even in extremely difficult circumstances. However, shortages of essential equipment like thermal cameras, sound-detection devices, ropes, body bags, and advanced helicopters have undermined these efforts.

From Rescue to Recovery

As hopes for finding survivors diminish at some locations, security personnel are increasingly focused on recovering bodies. APF sniffer dogs and police drones are being used to locate remains. Once a body is found, it is tagged and placed in a body bag before being sent to the nearest district hospital for identification. The shortage of body bags highlights the scale of the problem; initial supplies have been depleted, and additional shipments may not be sufficient.

Families Add Pressure

Security agencies are also facing mounting pressure from families desperately seeking information about missing relatives affected by the Bhotekoshi flood. Families gathered near helicopter landing points in Dhunche and Bidur, anxiously waiting for news. They have expressed frustration with administrative weaknesses that hinder rescue efforts.

Manpower Without Adequate Tools

Despite operational constraints, security personnel are working continuously to address the disaster. Specialized teams have been deployed in various operations including mass-rescue, medical, rope-rescue, water-rescue, diving, dog-squad, drone, and CSSR. The government has mobilized helicopters from both the Army and private operators while seeking specialist assistance from India and China.

(With inputs from RN)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.